Latino Community Foundation Protects Latinos During COVID-19

San Francisco, CA. The Latino Community Foundation (LCF) is an organization whose goal is to unleash the power of Latinos in California. In response to COVID-19, the organization launched an initiative called Love Not Fear Fund which is focused on protecting Latinos from the economic burden of the pandemic. LCF raised around 1.5million dollars for the fund which was then distributed in three phases. In the first phase, the fund provided immediate relief to 47 Latino-led organizations. For the second phase, LCF gave out grants to organizations whose goals aligned with their own: building civic and economic power and investing in economic opportunities for Latinos. The third phase of the fund focuses on civic engagement and building lasting power to enable systemic change for Latinos.

Chelsea Lopez the foundation’s Program and Administrative Assistant described the foundation as “a group of individuals who want more for the Latino community because they deserve more”. In addition to the Love Not Fear Fund, LCF has also founded Giving Circle Networks across California. Latino Giving Circles are groups of individuals who come together and chose which Latino-led organizations they want to donate to. Through these Giving Circles, LCF has developed the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country. “At the Latino Community Fund we are really trying to expand the definition of the word “philanthropist” so that anyone can be a philanthropist”, Lopez explained.

The Latino Community Foundation also focuses on politically mobilizing Latinos. This year they started a movement called “To Resist We Must Exist #Census2020” to encourage Latinos to fill out the census. As a result, 2020 saw record numbers of Latinos in its Census reports, which is an incredible accomplishment for the Latino community.

From Latino Community Foundation:

We fulfill our mission by building a movement of civically engaged philanthropic leaders, investing in Latino-led organizations, and increasing political participation of Latinos in California.